Fifth-wheel



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

' D. WILGOX.

FIFTH WHEEL.

No. 570,194. Patented Oct. 27, 1896.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. D. WILUOX. FIFTH WHEEL.

No. 570,194. I Patented Oct. 27, 1896.

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

DARIUS WILCOX, OF MECI-IANICSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

FIFTH-WHEEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 570,194, dated October 27, 1896.

Application filed August 14, 1895. Serial No. 559,249. (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, DARIUS W1Loox, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mechanicsburg, in the county of Cumberland and State of Pennsylvania,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in FifthlVheels; and I do hereby'declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention relates to fifth-wheels for vehicles; and it consists in a novel construction of the head-block plate and reach or perch irons, as will be presently described.

The objects of the invention are to simplify and cheapen the'construction of this class of devices, and I attain these results by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which--- Figure 1 is an inverted plan of a'portion of a fifth-wheel, showing the head-block plate and where two reaches are used. Fig. 2 is a vertical central section. Fig. 3 is a perspective of the reach or perch iron where only a single reach is required. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the head-block plate.

Similar letters refer to similar parts on the different views.

A represents the ordinary head-block in use on vehicles, or it may be a bolster instead of a l1ead-block.

B represents the head-block plate. It is made substantially the shape of the under side of the head-block and is provided with a hole or aperture a for the king-bolt. This hole a may be arranged so as to be in the rear of the axle, as shown in Fig. 1, or it may be centrally arranged, as shown in Fig. 4. The purpose of arranging the hole in the manner just stated is so that it may be used with a rear king-bolt when the hole is in the rear or with a centrally-arranged bolt when the hole is in the center.

O are the reach-irons. In Fig. 1 they are constructed of two parts or arms, so as to adapt them for a double reach. They are provided with the usual means of connection with the wheel and the reaches-viz. metallic bolts and nuts-0r they may be secured to these parts in any known way. The irons C are extended at their forward ends, so that they will lie transversely across the head- -block plate when applied.

The ends of the two arms or members are provided with holes 0, which are arranged to be in front and rear of the head-block, and through which bolts or the legs of clips are passed to secure the plate and reach-irons to the head-block or bolster.

The structure preferred is to form transverse grooves or recesses D on each side of the center of the plate B, and arrange the ends of the'two arms of the reach-irons to fit snugly in said recesses, which may be straight, as at the right end of Fig. 4, or with a convex bottom, as at the left end of the same view. The convex form is the best, as the ends of the reach-irons are c0ncaved,as shown at 00 in Fig. 3, to correspond to the shape of the recess, and any undue strain on the bolts or clip and on the arms or members of the reach-irons c is greatly relieved. The recesses in the head-block iron B may also be cutaway at an angle in the rear, as shown at b, Fig. 1, and the members or arms of the reach-iron are shouldered to fit the angular form of the recesses.

When a single reach is used on the vehicle, the iron 0 is formed with a single arm in the rear to adapt it therefor. In other words, the two arms or members are united in rear of the headblock and merge into a single arm 0, which is secured to the single reach.

The structure as well as the principle of the invention is the same whether a single or double reach be used.

The head-block plate B, reach-irons O, and spring of the vehicle, where one is used, may all be secured to the head-block by the same clips or yokes which are commonly used to secure the spring, as shown in Fig. 2.

Minor changes, may be made in the details of construction within the scope of my invention without departing from the spirit thereof.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by I Letters Patent, is-'- 1. In fifth-wheels, a head-block plate with a hole or aperture for the kin g-bolt, said plate secured to the under side of the head-block, in combination with reach or perch irons having two arms or members at the front end which extend entirely across the plate and are provided with perforated lugs for the attaching-bolts, on both sides of the plate and exterior thereto, and all secured together, substantially as described.

2. In fifth-wheels, a head-block plate socured to the under side of the head-block and provided with a hole or aperture for the kingbolt and with transverse recesses, in combination with reach-irons, or perches having two arms constructed substantially as described, and adapted to fit in the recesses in the head-block plate, as specified.

3. In fifth-wheels, a head-block plate secured to the under side of the head-block and with a hole or aperture for the king-bolt, and with transverse recesses the bases of which are convex, in combination with reach or perch irons having two arms, the under sides of the ends of said arms being concaved to fit the convex bases of the recesses in the head-block plate, substantially as described.

4:. I11 fifth-wheels a head-block plate secured to the under side of the head-block and with a hole or aperture for the king-bolt, and with transverse recesses angular in form at the rear sides, in combination with reach or perch irons having two arms, which are shouldered to fit the angular recesses in the head-block plate, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

DARIUS WILCOX. \Vitnesses:

AZRo GOFF, L. L. JOHNSON. 

